Numbers 20:1-13
New American Standard Bible
Death of Miriam
20 Then the sons of Israel, the whole congregation, came to the (A)wilderness of Zin in the first month; and the people stayed at Kadesh. Now Miriam died there and was buried there.
2 (B)There was no water for the congregation, (C)and they assembled against Moses and Aaron. 3 (D)Then the people argued with Moses and spoke, saying, “(E)If only we had perished (F)when our brothers perished before the Lord! 4 (G)Why then have you brought the Lord’s assembly into this wilderness, for us and our livestock to die [a]here? 5 Why did you make us come up from Egypt, to bring us into this wretched place? (H)It is not a place of [b]grain or figs or vines or pomegranates, nor is there water to drink!” 6 Then Moses and Aaron came in from the presence of the assembly to the entrance of the tent of meeting and (I)fell on their faces. And the glory of the Lord appeared to them; 7 then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
The Waters of Meribah
8 “Take (J)the staff; and you and your brother Aaron assemble the congregation and speak to the rock before their eyes, that it shall yield its water. So you shall bring water for them out of the rock, and have the congregation and their livestock drink.”
9 So Moses took the staff (K)from before the Lord, just as He had commanded him; 10 and Moses and Aaron summoned the assembly in front of the rock. And he said to them, “(L)Listen now, you rebels; shall we bring water for you out of this rock?” 11 Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff; and (M)water came out abundantly, and the congregation and their livestock drank. 12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “(N)Since you did not trust in Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, for that reason you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.” 13 Those were called the waters of [c](O)Meribah, [d]because the sons of Israel argued with the Lord, and He proved Himself holy among them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 20:4 Lit there
- Numbers 20:5 Lit seed
- Numbers 20:13 I.e., contention
- Numbers 20:13 Or where
Numbers 20:1-13
King James Version
20 Then came the children of Israel, even the whole congregation, into the desert of Zin in the first month: and the people abode in Kadesh; and Miriam died there, and was buried there.
2 And there was no water for the congregation: and they gathered themselves together against Moses and against Aaron.
3 And the people chode with Moses, and spake, saying, Would God that we had died when our brethren died before the Lord!
4 And why have ye brought up the congregation of the Lord into this wilderness, that we and our cattle should die there?
5 And wherefore have ye made us to come up out of Egypt, to bring us in unto this evil place? it is no place of seed, or of figs, or of vines, or of pomegranates; neither is there any water to drink.
6 And Moses and Aaron went from the presence of the assembly unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they fell upon their faces: and the glory of the Lord appeared unto them.
7 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
8 Take the rod, and gather thou the assembly together, thou, and Aaron thy brother, and speak ye unto the rock before their eyes; and it shall give forth his water, and thou shalt bring forth to them water out of the rock: so thou shalt give the congregation and their beasts drink.
9 And Moses took the rod from before the Lord, as he commanded him.
10 And Moses and Aaron gathered the congregation together before the rock, and he said unto them, Hear now, ye rebels; must we fetch you water out of this rock?
11 And Moses lifted up his hand, and with his rod he smote the rock twice: and the water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their beasts also.
12 And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron, Because ye believed me not, to sanctify me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore ye shall not bring this congregation into the land which I have given them.
13 This is the water of Meribah; because the children of Israel strove with the Lord, and he was sanctified in them.
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Numbers 20:1-13
Living Bible
20 The people of Israel arrived in the wilderness of Zin in April[a] and camped at Kadesh, where Miriam died and was buried. 2 There was not enough water to drink at that place, so the people again rebelled against Moses and Aaron. A great mob formed, 3 and they held a protest meeting.
“Would that we too had died with our dear brothers the Lord killed!” they shouted at Moses. 4 “You have deliberately brought us into this wilderness to get rid of us, along with our flocks and herds. 5 Why did you ever make us leave Egypt and bring us here to this evil place? Where is the fertile land of wonderful crops—the figs, vines, and pomegranates you told us about? Why, there isn’t even water enough to drink!”
6 Moses and Aaron turned away and went to the entrance of the Tabernacle, where they fell face downward before the Lord; and the glory of Jehovah appeared to them.
7 And he said to Moses, 8 “Get Aaron’s rod;[b] then you and Aaron must summon the people. As they watch, speak to that rock over there and tell it to pour out its water! You will give them water from a rock, enough for all the people and all their cattle!”
9 So Moses did as instructed. He took the rod from the place where it was kept before the Lord; 10 then Moses and Aaron summoned the people to come and gather at the rock; and he said to them, “Listen, you rebels! Must we bring you water from this rock?”
11 Then Moses lifted the rod and struck the rock twice, and water gushed out; and the people and their cattle drank.
12 But the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “Because you did not believe me[c] and did not sanctify me in the eyes of the people of Israel, you shall not bring them into the land I have promised them!”
13 This place was named Meribah (meaning “Rebel Waters”), because it was where the people of Israel fought against Jehovah, and where he showed himself to be holy before them.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Numbers 20:1 in April, literally, “the first month.”
- Numbers 20:8 Get Aaron’s rod, literally, “get the rod.”
- Numbers 20:12 did not believe me, literally, “did not sanctify me.” The Lord had said to speak to the rock. Moses struck it, not once, but twice.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
The Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.